Calligraphy on Girls - Expressing the Female Beauty in a New Way

Never before has the notion of body been more present in public discourses and, simultaneously, so complex to understand. The nature of the postmodern epoch, the vastness of the field of popular culture and its aggressive practice toward the individual rendered our reality to be centered on the attributes of our body. Yet, it seems that, like never before, the meaning of the body is completely dispersed and almost unattainable… What is the relation between the understanding of our body and natural laws? What can be seen on the horizons of freedom and restraint? Is there something that can be “read” from the body? These are only some of the questions relevant to the possibility of understanding the concept of the human body…

Meet Pokras Lampas

Pokras Lampas is an artist of a younger generation, already expressing the capabilities of those creative individuals who have been devoted to calligraphy and lettering many years. With a background in graffiti and street art, Pokras Lampas works in various spaces and using different mediums, from canvas and walls to the naked body. To a certain extent, the artist is involved in the art of tattoo, providing council and creating sketches when it comes to calligraphy work. However, the aspect of the artist’s practice which is most interesting, resonates the inventive possibilities of calligraphy within the world of digital urban art. This notion is part of one of his biggest projects… Recently, the artist became involved in a project called Calligraphy on Girls, which aims to show his calligraphy skills to a wider audience through sessions of body painting and photography. The project is an exploration of the female human form, executed with a particular aesthetics and a unique visual language of the artist.

Biology or Culture?

The Body is a natural and biological fact. It is as simple as that. Or, perhaps, not? There are aspects which concern the state of our body which are governed by the laws of nature. They are determined and understood by the notions of physiology. However, these (maybe only so-called) deterministic aspects of the “nature” of our body have been used as means to an end of certain vicious projects in (recent) history. Thus, the body becomes, in fact, a biological vessel for that which is more important – meaning. Human body, although subjected to the laws of nature, acquires significance and meaning only on the basis of cultural input. This represents the contemporary culturological perception of the concept of body. This was not always the case…

Restraining The Body

It could be said that the history of the body is a history of restraint. In this regard, it is perceived as a “space” where the dualism of matter and spirit is being unraveled. Even if we go beyond the strictly religious notions, where the body echoes the evil and the corrupted associated with matter, there are (still) many aspects of restraint to fathom… For example, the way we dress, ways of hiding from others, aspects concerning discipline and self-restraint – all of these elements are directly incorporated in the process of individualization. As Foucault said, through the treatment of the body during the last two centuries, an entire social history can be perceived…

Freedom of Expression

And where is restraint, there is resistance; where is oppression, there is the urge for freedom. As Western societies became infused with attributes so inherent to our postmodern times, the aspirations for the freedom of (bodily) expression became omnipresent. This created a set of different dangers which were in close relation to consumerism and notions of “beauty,” driven by the worlds of advertising and show-business… However, this imminent freedom did not only come with the aspects which influenced the body in this oppressive manner. Luminous examples such as the sexual revolution from the end of 1960s, experiences of ecstasy of the “collective body” within the cultures of festive celebrations or the power of artistic self-expression point to a perception of body as a potential space of cultural liberation…

Body and Language

This is the trouble with short sessions of deliberation on complex concepts – they raise more questions and provide almost no answers… Perhaps, just as the sessions of artist Pokras Lampas, they serve to amuse the creator and inspire the reader. And this leads us to the (possibly) most significant meaning of the body – with all its complexities, it is a certain form of text. It is “on” the body where the social and cultural rules, religious believes, scientific knowledge, contexts and intentions are being inscribed. Everything – from food and clothing to the pencils and pens – serves to fill out the empty page that is the body…